10 replies to this topic

[dadorfman]

I bought a second Astroscan so I could give one to my daughter's family as a starter scope.  It is without eyepieces, which are readily available, and the base, which I haven't seen anywhere.  Someone on SN had commented that a large bowl would also work.  I found an appropriately colored bowl for popcorn at a local Goodwill store with an inner diameter of 8 1/4"  The bowl is glazed, and the Astroscan fits and moves easily.  I am not sure it even needs felt pads.  The bowl is about the same weight as the original base, so the setup should be stable.  I plan to give my daughter my old base and use the red-hot popcorn base on my adjustable height table with the milk crate base.  The potential downside is that the original base can be attached to a tripod, but that worked poorly on my lightweight camera tripod anyway. 

 

 

[celobsonist]

my diy astroscan :

a SW Heritage 100 mm / f 4, in an aluminium bowl  of an old lamp

Edited by celobsonist, 26 February 2021 - 06:31 PM.

[dadorfman]

Great minds think alike.  I had also considering going to a pet store and checking out a water bowl with a wide base.

[izar187]

 

I bought a second Astroscan so I could give one to my daughter's family as a starter scope.  It is without eyepieces, which are readily available, and the base, which I haven't seen anywhere.  Someone on SN had commented that a large bowl would also work.  I found an appropriately colored bowl for popcorn at a local Goodwill store with an inner diameter of 8 1/4"  The bowl is glazed, and the Astroscan fits and moves easily.  I am not sure it even needs felt pads.  The bowl is about the same weight as the original base, so the setup should be stable.  I plan to give my daughter my old base and use the red-hot popcorn base on my adjustable height table with the milk crate base.  The potential downside is that the original base can be attached to a tripod, but that worked poorly on my lightweight camera tripod anyway. 

 

Popcorn Base.jpg

 

 

Second hand store have all kinds of stuff for DIY scope project, and yup, sometime color coordinated too. : )

 

 

 

 

 

 

my diy astroscan :

a SW Heritage 100 mm / f 4, in an aluminium bowl  of an old lamp109 (950x713).jpg

 

Very cool. : )

I like the tripod leg extensions too, so the scope can be at your right height.

Edited by izar187, 27 February 2021 - 06:47 AM.

[MHamburg]

Where did everyone find this wonderful scope?

 

Michael

[dadorfman]

Where did everyone find this wonderful scope?

 

Michael

Hiding in plain sight.  I first learned about it through the Edmund Scientific catalog.  It was designed to be rugged, provide a wide field of view, affordable, and not be a piece of junk.  It is not the latest and greatest, and has its limitations.  Good travel scope.  I bought mine locally when I lived in California in the 90's.  Buying locally, you can inspect before buying.  I just bought one for my daughter's family's first scope from www.shopgoodwill.com, which has auctioned off 7 of them in the last 90 days, all without any guarantee.  They also show up on ebay and Craigslist.

[dadorfman]

I decided the scope moved too easily on the glazed rim of the bowl.  I added adhesive-backed felt around the inside of the rim.  Now I have to wait for the weather and the moon to cooperate.

[MHamburg]

Hiding in plain sight.  I first learned about it through the Edmund Scientific catalog.  It was designed to be rugged, provide a wide field of view, affordable, and not be a piece of junk.  It is not the latest and greatest, and has its limitations.  Good travel scope.  I bought mine locally when I lived in California in the 90's.  Buying locally, you can inspect before buying.  I just bought one for my daughter's family's first scope from www.shopgoodwill.com, which has auctioned off 7 of them in the last 90 days, all without any guarantee.  They also show up on ebay and Craigslist.

I am a docent at the American Museum of Natural History (looking forward to resuming live tours) and used this scope extensively to help visitors understand telescopes and how they enhance one's views. Unfortunately, some interns mishandled it and it became damaged. I can truly attest to what a bargain for the quality of this scope is and how easy it is to use.

 

Michael

[Ted55]

That's a great idea! Here is another idea.  I purchased an old Majestic tripod for $25 and constructed a small platform  to mount my Astroscan. The platform is made from pine board. The Astroscan has three mounting holes; one at the base and two on either side of the tube. The Astroscan rests on the platform and is attached  using 1/4 x20 screws as shown in the photos. Total cost for the platform including hardware was less that $10.

 

The Majestic tripod is heavy duty and easily supports the Astroscan.

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[dadorfman]

Ted55,

Wish I were so handy with a pine board.  Looks to me like a good project for an entrepeneur with a 3D printer.  Where does one find a Majestic tripod for $25?

[Ted55]

I was looking for a heavy duty tripod to support  my 15 x 70 binoculars and found the Majestic tripod locally on Facebook Marketplace. The beam mount I made for my binoculars worked so well I thought the Majestic could handle the weight of my 1970's Astroscan.